Christoph Irniger, born on October 30, 1979 in Zürich, Switzerland, is a Swiss tenor saxophonist, bandleader, and composer. He studied music education at the Zürcher Hochschule der Künste from 2000 to 2006 and jazz performance at the Hochschule Luzern under Christoph Grab and Nat Su. Irniger's career began with his debut album Chat Noir, released in 2007 on Brambus Records. Notable collaborations include work with Dave Douglas, Claudio Puntin, and Hayden Chisholm as a member of the Lucerne Jazz Orchestra from 2007 to 2014. Irniger has also led several band projects, including Pilgrim, Cowboys from Hell, Noir, and Counterpoints. His notable achievements include winning the Förderpreis der Friedl Wald Stiftung in 2004 and receiving a composition grant from the STEO Stiftung for his album Gowanus Canal (2013) with the Christoph Irniger Trio.
